Telegraph-key



W. P. LILES.

TELEGRAPH KEY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, I915- RENEWEU OCT- 25, I919- 1,341,810. IPatented June 1, 1920.

' Qvihmnaca a w I UNITED STATES varsur QFFICE.

WILLIAM I. LILES, 0F MARLOW, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO LEVI METCALF, 01E

MARLOW, TENNESSEE.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920.

Application filed July 13, 1915, Serial No. 39,663. Renewed October 25,1919. Serial No. 333,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. LILES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marlow, in the county of Anderson, State of Tennessee, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph-Keys; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit ap'pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements intelegraph keys.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a key whereinmeans is included for automatically closing the circuit in which the keyis interpolated when the operator leaves the instrument.

A further object of the invention resides in so constructing the devicethat the circuit will be broken when the instrument is in operation,normally. I

With these and other objects in view, such as will appear as mydescription progresses, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope of theappended claim.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmental bottom plan view.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters wherein. like parts areindicated by like characters throughout the several views:

In the drawing, 1 have illustrated a telegraph sending instrument whichincludes a lever 1 and a base 2, on which'the lever is mounted. Thelever is provided with a finger piece 3 of insulating material.Locatedbeneath the lever 1 andon the base 2 is a contact 4.

In order that the line circuit may be com-- pleted, automatically,through the lever and the contact 4, I have pivoted a lever'5 to thelever 1, at 6. A portion of this lever extends beneath the lever 1 andis provided with a contact 7 which is adapted to engage the contact 4.Secured to one end of this lever 5 is a finger piece 8 made of suitableinsulating material which finger piece lies above the finger piece 3 andis normally held in spaced relation thereto by a spring 9 which isinterposed between the lever 5 and the lever 1. spring is to push thecontact 7 downwardly into engagement with the contact 4 so as tocomplete the line' circuit when pressure is relieved from thefingerpiece 8.

In operation, when the operator is sending a message, the finger piece 8will be pushed into contact with the finger piece 3 and the portion ofthe lever 5 which is located beneath the lever 1 will be in contact withthe said lever 1 and held in such position against the tension of thespring 9 by the pressure applied to the finger piece 8. The lever 1 maythus be moved upwardly and downwardly to make and break the circuitthrough the contacts 7 and 4. When the pressure is relieved from thefinger piece 8 the spring 9 will immediately push the con tact 7downwardly and complete the circuit from the contact 7 to the contact 4.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a device which may be attachedto telegraph keys and which will automatically complete the line circuitwhenthe operator is through sending a message. I

lVhile I have illustrated and described a, particular embodiment of myinvention, it has merely been for the sake of convenience and I do notwish to be limited to that particular embodiment as it is obvious thatnumerous changes may be made within the scope of the appended claim;

WVhat I claim is A telegraph key, comprising in combination. a base akey lever pivoted thereon, a fixed contact on the base, a lever carriedby the key lever and consisting of a metal strip pivoted to the side ofthe key lever and having one end turned to overlie the finger piecethereof, and having its opposite end. turned below the key lever tooverlie the fixed contact, and a message sending contactcarried by thelever to engage the fixed contact, and a spring interposed between. thekey lever and the last mentioned lever above the former to actuate thelatter to normally close the gap across the contacts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM P. LILES.

The primary function of this

